Cooling tower



De`c. 29 1925. 1,561,415

E. BURHORN COOLING TOWER 375g?, 1, Filed March 17, w22 2 slheel y @gw/LKW@ Y www #wlw Dec.` 29,1925.-

E. BURHCRN COOLING TOWER 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed March 17 1922 Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES EDWIN BURHORN, 0F HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

COOLING TOWER.

Application led March 17, 1922.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN BURHORN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cooling Towers, of which the following is a speelfication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention is a novel cooling tower, that is to say, an apparatus of the class in which natural air currents are brought into contact with the water to be cooled, the latter being caused to pass by gravity through the tower while subjected to the cooling in- -fluence. More especially the invention relates to the class of cooling tower in which the descent ofthe warm water is interrupted and delayed by means of one or more struetures or cooling decks arranged at various points in the height of the tower for the purpose of preventing a too rapid passage of the water and failure to sufliciently cool the same.

The general object of the present invention is to improve the construction and operation of cooling towers. A particular object is to aiford a novel construction of cooling tower which can be made, sold and used at low cost for the cooling of water at relatively low rates. Cooling towers as heretofore known involve a very heavy and expensive structure having usually four corner posts or uprights with louvers at the sides enclosing a rectangular space through which descends the water to be cooled. lVith the present invention the features of expense involved in such constructions are dispensed with and a cooling tower of great simplicity is afforded which is cheaply manufactured, durable, easy of inspection and repair and well suited to the particular small capacity work indicated. Other and more particular objects and advantages of the present invention will be hereinafter disclosed or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

To the attainment of the above referred to objects and advantages, the present invention consists in the novel cooling tower and the novel combinations, arrangements, constructions, devices and other features shown or described herein.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cooling tower embodying my invention.

Serial No. 544,592.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same. Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation partly in transverse section and with a portion or" the height of the tower omitted.

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views showing the structure of certain preferred details.

The present invention is characterized by simplicity and economy of structure. lnstead of four corner posts there are only two posts, one at each of the opposite ends of the tower. Between these extend the system ot superposed louvers so that in effect we have a vertical wall constituted of louvers. A further characteristic feature is that the louvers hereof do not merely serve the purpose of louvers in prior towers but taire the place as well of the cooling decks or system of interior structures for delaying the descent of the water. With the present invention the water to be cooled is delivered directly to the topmost louvers and passes down from louver to louver throughout the height of the tower to the collecting vessel at the base. Preferably thc louvers are arranged in pairs opposed to each other so as to constitute two vertical series.

Referring to the illustrated example of the present invention a base l0 is shown consisting of angle bars which may be bolted down upon the top of a building or in other locations. Supported by diagonal braces 11 are the upright posts or plates 12 at the opposite ends of the tower. These are preferably in the form of flat plates of substantial width and to stili'en the same they are provided with flanges or angle irons 13 at their outer sides.

A supply pipe 14 conducts the warm water to the spray pipe 15 at the top of the tower. The spray pipe has a cap 16 closing one end and two series of opposite apertures 17 by which the water is distributed upon the topmost cooling members, or decks or louvers of the tower.

A. series of angle irons 18 secured to the end plates 12 serve to give support to the two series of inclined louvers 19. Each of these louvers is shown as comprising the body or main surface 20, with anges 21 at the opposite ends, a fia-nge or curled portion 22 at the top and a more extensive upturned flange 23 along the bottom edge, ^forming, with the end plates 21, basins 24, so that each louver is capable of retaining a small amount of water in addition to that which is running down the inclined surfaces of the louver.

In order to effect a discharge of `water from the members or louvers at each level to those beneath have shown the bottom flanges 23 as being notched at 25,. giving a series of overflow points so that the water will pass through the notches and downwardly and outwardly for discharge upon the louvers beneath. Y

At the botto'm is a special louver 26, the two sides of which are connected by a bottom wall 27 which, with the end walls 28, constitutes a receiving pan, from which leads the outlet pipe 29 by which the cool water is conducted where desired.

Figure 3 indicates the discharge of water 30 from the distributing' pipe to the ropposi'te to'pmost louvers 19. This passes down, subject to evaporation and cooling, and collects in little pools 31 at the lower part of each louver. Owing to surface attraction the water overflowing from the basins 2a is drawn outwardly as shown at 32 and discharged as at 33 upon the bodies of the louvers beneath. Finally the Idescending water is accumulated at 34 in the receiving pan. VAll the cooling inuences are constantly at. work throughout the described tower, including direct cooling by contact with air, and the cooling due to evaporation.

Roughly the course of air Ycurrents is indicated by the arrow 35, the air thus being directed in an advantageous manner, so as to act upon the. falling water and also to blow across the surfaces of the pools within the louver basins.

t will thus be seen that l have described a cooling apparatus or tower attaining the objects and advantages and embodying the principles of the present invention. Many matters of combination, arrangement, design and detail may be variously modified without departing from the principles and therefore it is not intended to limit 'the claims to such features except inso far as set forth in the appended claims.

`What is claimed is:

l. A cooling tower in which water distributed at the top may pass downwardly by gravity while subject to natural air currents, comprising an upright frame, and supported thereby a series of superposed receiving, holding and distributing members, each having an inclined body portion, with a trough along its lower edge adapted to discharge the water in small drops distributed uniformly along its length and deliver them to the member beneath. v

2. A cooling tower as in claim 6 and wherein the tower comprises only two of such series of inclined members, the two series facing each other in close proximity, with each member inclined downwardly and inwardly, and its lower edge adjacent and opposite. the lower edge of a member of the opposed series.

3. A cooling tower in which water distributed at the top may pass downwardly by gravity while subject to natural air currents, comprising an upright frame, and supported thereby a series of superposed receive ing, holding and distributing members, each having an inclined body portion, with means along its lower edge adapted to accumulate and discharge the water in subdivided form distributed along its length and so deliver 'the same to the inclined member beneath.

In testimony whereof, l have axed my signature hereto.

EDWIN BURHORN. 

